observability.fyi

Splunk vs Prometheus

A detailed comparison of two leading observability platforms.

Sp

Splunk

Data platform for security & observability

8.6/10
Pr

Prometheus

Open-source monitoring and alerting toolkit

8.9/10
Overview

Who is each tool for?

Sp

Splunk

Enterprises with heavy log analysis and security requirements

Pr

Prometheus

Teams wanting powerful open-source metrics monitoring with PromQL

Analysis

Pros and Cons

Sp

Splunk

Pros

  • Industry-leading search capabilities
  • Powerful SPL query language
  • Strong security and compliance
  • Extensive app marketplace

Cons

  • Expensive licensing model
  • Resource-intensive deployment
  • Steep learning curve for SPL
Full review
Pr

Prometheus

Pros

  • Powerful PromQL query language
  • Excellent Kubernetes integration
  • Active open-source community
  • Pull-based model is firewall-friendly

Cons

  • Limited long-term storage by default
  • No built-in dashboards (needs Grafana)
  • High cardinality can be challenging
Full review
Ratings

Feature Comparison

Feature
Sp
Splunk
Pr
Prometheus
APM
7
5
Log Management
10
3
Infrastructure Monitoring
8
9
Alerting
8.5
8.5
Integrations
8.5
8.5
Ease of Use
6.5
7
Support
9
7
Value for Money
6
10
Overall Score
8.6
8.9
Investment

Pricing

Sp

Splunk

Custom pricing

Pricing varies by data volume and features. Contact Splunk for a custom quote.

Pr

Prometheus

Free / Open Source

Pricing varies by data volume and features. Contact Prometheus for a custom quote.

Conclusion

Our Verdict

Both Splunk and Prometheus are excellent observability platforms. Prometheus edges ahead with a score of 8.9/10, particularly excelling in Infrastructure Monitoring and Ease of Use.